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Beacon residents urge council to add protected bike lanes on Fishkill Avenue
Summary
Multiple residents and cycling advocates told the Beacon City Council they want a bike master plan and protected, buffered lanes on Fishkill Avenue (Route 52), and many opposed adding on‑street parking that would remove the existing shoulder.
Dozens of residents urged the Beacon City Council on Monday to prioritize protected bicycle lanes and a citywide bike master plan, focusing their remarks on Fishkill Avenue (Route 52).
Advocates said buffered or protected bike lanes would make short errands and school trips safer for residents who rely on bikes instead of cars, and they warned that replacing roadway shoulders with on‑street parking would push cyclists into traffic. "Plan for people, not for cars," Thomas Wright of the Beacon Bicycle Coalition told the council during public comment.
Why it matters: Speakers framed bike infrastructure as a near‑term safety measure and a longer‑term climate and equity strategy: shorter car trips, fewer emissions and safer routes for schoolchildren and lower‑income households who depend on bicycles. Several callers and podium speakers pointed to the 2017 Beacon comprehensive plan, which includes goals to expand pedestrian and bicycle systems, and asked the council to follow up with an actionable master plan.
Public comments described everyday hazards on Fishkill Avenue: cyclists forced into traffic by parked cars and potholes, low visibility in fog or rain, and the risk of being "doored" by parked vehicles. Resident Christine Wang, reading remarks for Sergei Krakow, said drivers regularly encounter cyclists who lack dedicated lanes and that the upcoming rail trail will not solve current safety problems. Andrea Moe, who said her son bikes to Beacon High School, said her family "worries about him a lot" and called protected lanes and no on‑street parking "vital." Meg Lazarus, a member of Beacon Climate Action Now and the Beacon Bicycle Coalition, urged the council to develop a bike master plan and cited the comprehensive plan's explicit recommendations to consider bike lanes on Fishkill Avenue.
The Fishkill Avenue Concepts Committee's recommendations were referenced repeatedly. Thomas Wright asked the council to adopt the committee’s proposal that would prohibit drive‑thrus along the corridor; other speakers urged the council to reject proposals that would add on‑street parking because of the safety impact on cyclists. Don Romaniello and Joe Bridal Applegate described living carless and said better bike infrastructure would make Beacon more affordable and accessible.
Council and staff response: Councilmembers acknowledged the comments and said staff and council members are discussing next steps. The council pointed to an online survey and a list of projects discussed at a recent workshop as places for continued public input. Councilmember Pam noted the Fishkill Avenue Concepts Committee meeting scheduled Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall and a community feedback session set for March 9 at Industrial Arts Event Space; the committee's agenda and materials are available on the city website.
No formal vote or policy change occurred at the meeting. Several councilmembers said they want more detailed proposals, engineering drawings and community outreach before making a binding decision about lane configuration and parking.
What comes next: Advocates asked the city to produce an explicit bike master plan and to consider buffered lanes for Fishkill Avenue as the corridor is reworked. The council will take public input and workshop material into account as the Fishkill Avenue Concepts Committee continues its process.
